Get started

Get started

Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.

• Learn how to create a scheduled task with PowerShell

  When you need a reliable way to create a scheduled task, you can use PowerShell’s automation capabilities to reduce the likelihood of keying in mistakes. Continue Reading

• Use a Windows Server 2019 domain controller or go to Azure?

  Administrators must dig into the details to see if a swap from on-premises Active Directory to the Azure equivalent makes sense for their organization. Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2019 RDS updates a boon for remote work needs

  Enhanced security, improved end-user experience and cloud integration are just a few of the perks for organizations that move to Windows Server 2019 RDS. Continue Reading

• Lighten up and install Exchange 2019 on Windows Server Core

  Organizations looking to tighten up security in every aspect of their infrastructure now have the option to deploy their on-premises messaging system on Server Core 2019. Continue Reading

• Find and lock down lax Windows share permissions

  With help from PowerShell, you can identify the shares that need adjustments across your infrastructure then use a script to fix them to protect sensitive data. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • Microsoft Software Assurance (SA)
  • Active Directory forest (AD forest)
  • wbadmin
  • ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)

  • PowerShell
  • Microsoft Windows PowerShell DSC (Desired State Configuration)
  • Microsoft Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE)
  • Microsoft Exchange Server

  View All Definitions

• PowerShell ForEach-Object cmdlet picks up speed

  Administrators get extra incentive to switch to PowerShell 7 after an existing cmdlet acquires a performance enhancement to run multiple iterations in parallel.Continue Reading

• Avoid common pain points when migrating to Exchange Online

  Every Exchange Server configuration is unique, which makes a move to hosted email in Office 365 a complex undertaking, but some stumbling blocks are more frequent than others.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Software Assurance (SA)

  Microsoft Software Assurance is a software maintenance program that helps organizations gain access to the latest software versions and releases, without incurring additional licensing costs.Continue Reading

• Update makes Storage Migration Service more cloud-friendly

  The latest version of the Windows Admin Center comes with a refinement to one of its tools to make moving a file server to Azure less of a challenge.Continue Reading

• Active Directory forest (AD forest)

  An Active Directory forest is the highest level of organization within Active Directory.Continue Reading

• Increase PowerShell security with help from AppLocker

  Learn how to curb the native abilities of the expansive scripting tool in the Windows OS to prevent your users from being unwitting participants in a cyberattack.Continue Reading

• Learn to manage Office 365 ProPlus updates

  The traditional Microsoft Office applications you get from Office 365 might appear to be the same on the surface, but how you administer them differs in several key ways.Continue Reading

• wbadmin

  Wbadmin is an elevated command prompt that allows administrators or backup operators to backup and restore an operating system (OS), volume, file, folder or application.Continue Reading

• ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)

  ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) is a standard bus (computer interconnection) architecture that was associated with the IBM AT motherboard.Continue Reading

• Updated Exchange Online PowerShell module adds reliability, speed

  Microsoft assists Exchange Online administrators who rely on PowerShell by reworking the underlying functionality of several cmdlets used to manage the hosted email platform.Continue Reading

• PowerShell

  PowerShell is an object-oriented automation engine and scripting language with an interactive command-line shell that Microsoft developed to help IT professionals configure systems and automate administrative tasks.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows PowerShell DSC (Desired State Configuration)

  Desired State Configuration (DSC) is a feature in PowerShell 4.0 and above that helps administrators to automate the configuration of Windows and Linux operating systems.Continue Reading

• 25 basic PowerShell commands for Windows administrators

  Getting started with PowerShell or just need a quick refresher? This tip lists the most common PowerShell commands, with details on when to use them.Continue Reading

• 5 PowerShell tools to help simplify admin tasks and support

  Learn how systems admins, software developers and engineers can use tools, such as Cimitra Software, to build better PowerShell scripts to manage and automate repetitive tasks.Continue Reading

• 7 PowerShell courses to help hone skills for all levels of expertise

  Online PowerShell courses, such as the seven examined here, offer systems administrators and other users basic tutorials as well as more advanced courses.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE)

  The Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE) is a graphical user interface and front-end hosting application for Windows PowerShell.Continue Reading

• Deploy and configure WSUS 2019 for Windows patching needs

  You can update your Microsoft software with a few tools, but Windows Server Update Services is the go-to for many administrators who want a reliable patch deployment platform.Continue Reading

• What's new with PowerShell error handling?

  PowerShell 7 introduces a new cmdlet to assist administrators who wanted a better way to find out what broke in the scripts they wrote to manage their systems.Continue Reading

• PowerShell 7 features admins should examine

  The next version of the administrative tool introduces several features, including a new cmdlet to assist with troubleshooting errors.Continue Reading

• How to install the Windows Server 2019 VPN

  A VPN prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to critical resources in your organization. This tutorial covers the deployment on Windows Server 2019.Continue Reading

• Build a PowerShell logging function for troubleshooting

  A basic administrative skill is checking over logs to find out why something broke. Learn how to build a proper logging mechanism to catch errors for diagnostic purposes.Continue Reading

• How to set up Windows Server 2019 virtual network encryption

  Microsoft tightens the security on its virtualization platform, even if a breach occurs, to prevent intruders from eavesdropping on traffic between VMs.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Exchange Server

  Microsoft Exchange Server is Microsoft's email, calendaring, contact, scheduling and collaboration platform. It is deployed on the Windows Server operating system for business use.Continue Reading

• Using the Windows Admin Center Azure services feature

  Microsoft wants you to add more of its Azure cloud services to your data center by using its new administrative tool to streamline the setup process.Continue Reading

• PowerShell tutorials capture attention of admins in 2019

  Interest in automation continues to trend upward for administrators of Windows systems, particularly when it involves PowerShell.Continue Reading

• Using wsusscn2.cab to find missing Windows updates

  Avoid unnecessary security headaches by using the Windows Update offline scan file and PowerShell to ensure your systems have all their Microsoft patches.Continue Reading

• How to install and test Windows Server 2019 IIS

  The installation process for the Windows Server 2019 IIS role is fairly straightforward. This tutorial explains how to stand up the web server and check its ports and bindings.Continue Reading

• Learn PowerShell scripting using the PSKoans module

  Want to get started with PowerShell automation to manage your Windows systems? Try the PSKoans module to learn as you go through its exercises to build your scripting skills.Continue Reading

• Migrating file servers using Storage Migration Service

  Need to move from Windows Server 2003 and up? The Storage Migration Service in the Windows Admin Center does most of the heavy lifting to make this procedure more routine rather than risky.Continue Reading

• Azure Bastion brings convenience, security to VM management

  This cloud service gets around the problem associated with jump servers and cloaks the identity of your VMs to avoid potential security issues.Continue Reading

• Set up PowerShell script block logging for added security

  Learn how to set up your systems to capture abnormal PowerShell behavior as one way to shore up your defenses.Continue Reading

• Cloud adoption a catalyst for IT modernization in many orgs

  Sloppy and insecure IT procedures that had been overlooked before the cloud arrived must evolve with the times to prevent data exposure and system breaches.Continue Reading

• The future of PowerShell begins to sharpen in focus

  PowerShell's promise as a cross-platform management tool has come a long way, but much work still needs to be done for both Linux and Windows admins to pick up adoption.Continue Reading

• How to work with the WSUS PowerShell module

  The PoshWSUS module automates the process to synchronize and approve Windows updates. You can also use it to perform essential maintenance on the WSUS server.Continue Reading

• Implement automated employee onboarding with PowerShell

  Your time is precious and you shouldn't waste it by clicking through menus to set up a new user. Look at these code examples to put together your own provisioning script.Continue Reading

• Microsoft SCOM (System Center Operations Manager)

  Microsoft's SCOM dashboard uses traffic light color-coding to indicate object health states. Green is healthy, yellow is a warning and red indicates there is a critical issue.The data center administrator can adjust these levels as needed.Continue Reading

• Group Policy Object (GPO)

  Microsoft’s Group Policy Object (GPO) is a collection of Group Policy settings that defines what a system will look like and how it will behave for a defined group of users.Continue Reading

• Learn to set up and use PowerShell SSH remoting

  Remoting over SSH in PowerShell Core has some advantages over the traditional Windows PowerShell remoting method, but it will require a fair amount of manual configuration work.Continue Reading

• Internet Information Services (IIS)

  Internet Information Services (IIS) is a flexible, general-purpose web server from Microsoft that runs on Windows systems to serve requested HTML pages or files.Continue Reading

• How to automate patch management in Windows

  Automating Windows updates with PowerShell will ease some of the labor associated with the routine patch deployment process.Continue Reading

• Using the Sysinternals Sysmon tool to check DNS queries

  A recent update to the Sysinternals Sysmon utility adds DNS query logging to give deeper insights into the connections made by your Windows machines.Continue Reading

• Pester tests help pinpoint infrastructure issues

  The Pester testing framework gives IT pros a way to develop sophisticated and consistent testing routines that monitoring tools just can't duplicate.Continue Reading

• Check Office 365 usage reports for user adoption insights

  Microsoft gives administrators access to many Office 365 reports to pinpoint ways to improve user adoption rates and tighten up potential security leaks.Continue Reading

• Use PowerShell printer management for quicker setups

  Don't fiddle with printer configurations and tiresome upkeep work from the GUI when you can automate a lot of the tediousness with PowerShell.Continue Reading

• What's new in hybrid Azure services in Windows Admin Center?

  Trying to get the most out of Azure hybrid services? Discover Microsoft's latest developments to further centralize management in Windows Admin Center.Continue Reading

• Using PowerShell for Azure service principal authentication

  With help from the Azure PowerShell module, you can avoid login prompts and automate the authentication process when using service principals on Microsoft's cloud platform.Continue Reading

• 3 steps to prepare for Exchange updates

  If you dread the process of updating Exchange and the possibility that patches will break the servers, you can take control by putting best practices in place with three steps.Continue Reading

• How to test the PowerShell pending reboot module

  Learn how to check if your machines have pending reboots with a simple PowerShell module to ensure changes to files do not cause stability issues.Continue Reading

• Windows and Linux: What systems administrators need to know

  The lines between Windows Server and Linux continue to blur. Discover what Windows administrators need to know to get up to speed with these new Linux features.Continue Reading

• Tech communities offer more than just a quick fix

  IT professionals who join tech meetups and online communities might find there's more than just troubleshooting help available when they invest their time in a group.Continue Reading

• Can you ace this quiz on Windows Server 2019 HCI?

  With each new server release, Microsoft gives administrators a whole new slew of features to learn. Challenge yourself on how well you know the Windows Server HCI features.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute

  Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute is a service that provides a private connection between an organization's on-premises infrastructure and Microsoft Azure data centers.Continue Reading

• How to set up Office 365 modern authentication

  Learn how to manage modern authentication with a relatively new PowerShell cmdlet to keep end users in touch with their Exchange Online mailboxes.Continue Reading

• System administrator resources you'll actually use

  The learning resources available for IT administrators are more plentiful than the technology that admins manage. How do they sift through the inundation of information?Continue Reading

• How to add the App Compatibility Feature on Demand to Server Core

  Microsoft closed the functionality gap between Server Core and full desktop deployments with the App Compatibility feature, but will it entice admins to the GUI-less server?Continue Reading

• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

  Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) is a Windows product that enables administrators to manage the deployment and security of devices and applications across an enterprise.Continue Reading

• System administrator skills you need to succeed in the cloud

  Cloud technology gives IT administrators more tools to manage enterprise resources than ever before, but the expanding technology also requires admins to develop a new skill set.Continue Reading

• Painlessly deploy Azure File Sync with PowerShell

  Have you ever run low on file server capacity or struggled to access files? Setting up Azure File Sync can give your organization centralized file shares with local accessibility.Continue Reading

• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

  Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is a system of transferring money from one bank account directly to another without any paper money changing hands.Continue Reading

• computer

  A computer is a device that accepts information (in the form of digitalized data) and manipulates it for some result based on a program, software, or sequence of instructions on how the data is to be processed.Continue Reading

• How to successfully migrate Exchange Servers

  Admins have a few options to upgrade their servers, but whether they choose cloud or on premises, the update process involves the same steps to transition old servers and avoid issues.Continue Reading

• How should you handle Exchange Server updates?

  Microsoft changed its release model after Exchange 2010, which has caused some confusion for administrators who work on newer versions of the messaging platform.Continue Reading

• How to uninstall Exchange 2013 after a cutover migration

  Don't throw a retirement party for that Exchange 2013 server and pull the plug prematurely without going through this checklist to avoid any issues.Continue Reading

• Group Policy

  Group Policy is a hierarchical infrastructure that allows a network administrator in charge of Microsoft's Active Directory to implement specific configurations for users and computers. Group policy is primarily a security tool, and can be used to ...Continue Reading

• Windows Server cluster sets add more protection to workloads

  Microsoft stepped up its high availability game with its cluster sets technology in Windows Server 2019 to give on-premises workloads more cloudlike resiliency.Continue Reading

• Understand Azure Update Management basics

  Microsoft provides a variety of tools that IT administrators can use to simplify update deployment, including Azure Update Management. Find out if the service will work with your systems.Continue Reading

• How do you build Windows Server 2019 cluster sets?

  Microsoft debuted cluster sets in its Windows Server 2019 release. Here's a rundown on how to deploy this high availability feature in your organization.Continue Reading

• What Windows Server 2019 SDN features should I know about?

  Administrators in highly virtualized environments can tap into enhanced Windows Server 2019 SDN functionality to run Hyper-V VMs more efficiently.Continue Reading

• What features make up Windows Server 2019 cluster sets?

  Windows Server 2019 takes clustering to a new level with the cluster sets feature that wraps another layer of high availability around critical VMs.Continue Reading

• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

  Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is a set of specifications from Microsoft for consolidating the management of devices and applications in a network from Windows computing systems.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2019 features admins should explore

  This slideshow of Windows Server 2019 features highlights some of its key additions built to bring more flexibility and reliability to the enterprise.Continue Reading

• IT pros must adapt to Azure certification path changes

  Microsoft reworked its Azure certifications recently and offers an upgrade path for IT pros with older credentials, but there is little time before the transition tests expire.Continue Reading

• What advantages do Windows Server cluster sets offer?

  Administrators don't need to stress about workload uptime with a new Windows Server 2019 clustering feature, which makes sharing resources and moving VMs easier.Continue Reading

• Server Core vs. GUI: Is Server Core ready for prime time?

  IT Director Christopher Rivers says the Windows Admin Center is a step in the right direction to boost adoption of Server Core, but administrators will still encounter challenges.Continue Reading

• What are some common Windows Server 2019 SDN errors?

  The complexity of setting up and managing Microsoft SDN can increase the risk of administrators facing common networking errors that are difficult to troubleshoot.Continue Reading

• What key SDN features are in Windows Server 2019?

  Microsoft SDN capabilities got a boost in Windows Server 2019 to wrap more security around VMs and make networking tasks less painful to execute.Continue Reading

• How much does Azure Update Management cost?

  The Azure Update Management cost is free, but organizations that require the tool's advanced features might have to contend with additional fees.Continue Reading

• How to configure SSL on IIS with PowerShell

  SSL encryption is a necessary component when building an IIS website that communicates with the outside world. Use this PowerShell tutorial to streamline the deployment process.Continue Reading

• How well do you know open source PowerShell Core?

  Do you know how PowerShell Core differs from Windows PowerShell? Find out with this quiz on the open source PowerShell management utility.Continue Reading

• What are some Microsoft SDN features in Windows Server?

  SDN functionality helps administrators shape network traffic to reduce congestion and boost security. Discover what other SDN features Microsoft added to its Windows Server offerings.Continue Reading

• Q&A: Will Microsoft artificial intelligence change your job?

  Technical architect Jason Wynn says the data center is already on the path to a more autonomous future due to the acceleration of Microsoft artificial intelligence efforts.Continue Reading

• How does Azure Update Management handle integration?

  Azure Update Management works with other Microsoft administrative tools to give IT pros a more complete offering to patch operating systems.Continue Reading

• How to set up and enforce Azure multifactor authentication

  Azure Active Directory offers multifactor authentication to further secure login credentials. Get started with these instructions to set up this Microsoft cloud service.Continue Reading

• What OSes does Azure Update Management handle?

  Azure Update Management supports a large number of Windows and Linux systems on premises and in the cloud, but there are certain requirements to meet to utilize the service.Continue Reading

• Compliance with GDPR in Exchange requires extra effort

  Exchange administrators outside of the European Union might not think that GDPR affects them, but they should work toward compliance to avoid a stiff penalty if a violation occurs.Continue Reading

• System Insights

  System Insights is a feature that debuted in Windows Server 2019 that processes data and uses predictive analytics to warn administrators of potential issues with Windows Server deployments.Continue Reading

• How does Azure Update Management handle patching?

  Microsoft built Azure Update Management for administrators who require a centralized tool to automate patches for systems both on premises and in the cloud.Continue Reading

• Working with PowerShell module downloads from the gallery

  Learn how to get the most out of the PowerShell Gallery with some distinctions for administrators who use Windows PowerShell or PowerShell Core.Continue Reading

• Windows Admin Center lures IT pros with Azure integration

  If System Center is overkill for your needs and the older tools aren't up to task, then the Windows Admin Center just might be the tool to manage your data center.Continue Reading

• Exchange Online

  Exchange Online is the hosted version of Microsoft's Exchange Server messaging platform that organizations can obtain as a stand-alone service or via an Office 365 subscription.Continue Reading

• Stay in control with these Active Directory basics

  Administrators have an ever-increasing number of resources to handle and permissions to track, but they can cut this seemingly impossible task down to size with Active Directory.Continue Reading

• Unlock storage savings with Windows Server deduplication

  Windows Server comes with a data deduplication feature to reduce the organization's storage crunch, but it's important to plan around some potential drawbacks.Continue Reading

• Hyper-convergence forms core of Windows Server 2019 features

  The latest server OS release from Microsoft upgrades many of its software-defined features to make it easier to use a hybrid cloud model.Continue Reading

• Hunt down zombie VMs to trim Windows Server licensing costs

  Temporary workloads can cause organizations to buy more Windows Server licenses than they need, but admins can track down zombie servers to consolidate workloads and keep costs down.Continue Reading

• Use this Microsoft deployment tool for easier setups

  It's not new, but the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit tends to be overlooked when administrators need a way to set up Windows in an automated fashion. See why MDT is worth using.Continue Reading